The Cleveland Browns have been very busy adding to their roster during the NFL offseason. They’ve made a series of trades and made six selections in the 2024 NFL Draft. Those moves could have a big impact on a number of players on the Cleveland roster. Training camp is nearing and there are already a few players on the microscope whose spots on the team are in jeopardy.
A few cut candidates on the Browns’ roster ahead of training camp include Dorian Thompson-Robinson, David Bell and Siaki Ika.
Odd man out of the quarterback room?
The quarterback position in Cleveland has been tumultuous over the last several seasons, to say the least. The Browns thought they had found their answer at the position after trading for Deshaun Watson, but that hasn’t quite been the case yet. He’s battled injuries and suspension and has yet to find the star form he once possessed in Houston.
His injury last season left the Browns in rough shape. They were lucky that Joe Flacco carried them into the playoffs off the street but their options before him did not play well at all. One of those was Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round rookie Cleveland drafted out of UCLA.
Thompson-Robinson had an outstanding college career, but his transition to the NFL was not as kind. He made three starts as a rookie. In those games, Thompson-Robinson just made 54 of 108 passes for 420 yards. That’s good for a yards per attempt average of 3.88. He also threw for only one touchdown and four interceptions.
In Thompson-Robinson’s defense, two of those starts were against division rivals the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, both of whom have staunch defenses. But it didn’t take long for the Browns to give the likes of Flacco and PJ Walker shots to be the backup above him. He’s even deeper down on the depth chart now after Cleveland signed Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley in the offseason.
Thompson-Robinson was a nice dart throw in the fifth round to be a potential backup. He still can be that in the league. But after the moves the Browns made, it’s not a guarantee his stay in Cleveland will be for much longer.
A crowded wide receiver room
The Browns have been super aggressive in trying to upgrade their wide receiver room. They traded for Amari Cooper in the 2022 offseason, Elijah Moore last year, and Jerry Jeudy this spring. Cleveland has also thrown a lot of draft picks at that position. They used a third-round pick at the position every year from 2021-2023 and used a fifth rounder on Louisville’s Jamari Thrash in 2024.
One of those third rounders is already gone in Anthony Schwartz. Another one who possibly could be next on the chopping block is David Bell. Bell had an outstanding career at Purdue but has yet to replicate that success in the NFL. He’s had his moments, including a two touchdown performance in Week 18 last season and an eight reception game in the Wild Card round. But the flashes have been too fleeting.
The addition of Jeudy really puts everyone after Cooper on the Browns’ depth chart on notice. Bell is included in that. He has accrued just 38 receptions for 381 yards and three touchdowns across 31 career NFL games. He needs a big performance in training camp, or else he will become a prime cut candidate for the Browns.
A defensive tackle crunch
Another position the Browns are stacked is at defensive tackle. They already had Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson, Siaki Ika and Mo Hurst entering this offseason. Then they added Michael Hall and Jowon Briggs to that mix during the draft. That will put a spotlight on one or more of these players likely not making the Browns’ roster in training camp.
Ika may be the most likely to get the boot. He hardly played during his rookie season after Cleveland used a third round pick on him. Ika appeared in only four games and didn’t manage to register a single tackle. Injuries played a part in that but he was never a factor on the team.
With how loaded Cleveland is in the interior defensive line, Ika’s status on the team is in question despite his robust draft capital. With that said, he needs to perform well in training camp with the Browns or risk becoming a cut candidate.
